A/N: Chapter 12, I can feel the end coming, and I am looking forward to it. : P I guess I have nothing else to say except read and review.

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For the first time in a long time General Scales was happy. The all-important device was in his possession, and his Sharpclaw guard outnumbered team Starfox so heavily, it would be suicide to try and attack him. The Sharpclaw had, at his command, moved the machine to one of his old labs. Scales set up a guard patrol for both the inside and outside of the base. The only thing he was genuinely worried about was the fact that his soldiers were grounded and Starfox would probably launch an aerial attack. Scales got rid of this weak spot by surrounding the base in high power turrets he built from the wreckage of his lab. Feeling confident in his defense system and having nothing else to do, Scales walked into his main room of operations. There were close to twenty guards inside, protecting the machine. The General glared at one of the guards and the guard immediately stood straighter and saluted. He liked the effect he had on people; it was a very nice ability to have. Fear was a great thing. General Scales sat in his chair next to his special possession. He had nothing left to do now but wait. "Just try to come, I dare you!"

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The team finished boarding the ship, and after Fox gave R.O.B their destination he was no longer needed on the bridge. The rest of the team had already separated and went their ways. Fox decided to go to his room to wait for the trip to be over. He told R.O.B to tell him when they were ten minutes from venom and then left the bridge. On his way to his room Fox heard noises coming from the sparring room. His curiosity perked Fox entered the room. In the center of the room was Krystal who was standing in front of a dummy, holding her staff in a combat stance. When Fox walked up to her, Krystal lowered her staff and turned to him. "Hey Fox; I was just practicing my close combat skills. Seeing how we are pretty much held to ground combat for this mission I thought it would be useful to brush up on it."

Fox nodded. "Seems like a good idea. Mind if I join you?"

Krystal smiled, lifted the dummy, and threw it out of the way. "Alright, sounds like fun. Should I get rid of my staff?"

Fox chuckled. "Yeah I don't want to be knocked senseless right before our most important mission. I've seen you use that thing."

Krystal tossed her staff aside and dropped into a fighting stance. "Alright Fox, whenever you're ready."

Fox waited a second then dropped into a fighting stance himself. The two circled each other looking for an opening. Fox thought he saw one and threw a jab. Krystal parried easily and countered with a sweeping leg kick. Fox jumped over the sweeping move and landed back in his fighting stance. Krystal was up fast and landed a glancing blow off of Fox's midsection. Krystal aimed another shot at Fox's head but Fox moved to the side to avoid the hit. Fox came back with a flurry of blows that, although Krystal blocked, wore her out with the speed of the punches. Krystal stopped the barrage by taking a swift kick upwards that if Fox hadn't of dodged would have hit him in a very sensitive spot. Fox was now on her side and rushed her with his arms out. Krystal grabbed his wrists and then Fox's mind went blank. Next thing he knew he was laying on the floor winded. Fox took a deep breath, and when he had his breath back he said. "What just happened?"

Krystal was panting slightly. She walked over to Fox's side and knelt down beside him. "I didn't hurt you did I?" When Fox shook his head Krystal explained. "It's just something I've been working on. I focus on sending the opponent, or in this case you, my thoughts. Having two people's thoughts at once can be very overwhelming, which is why it takes a while to get used to. Since you've never experienced this before your mind went temporarily blank which allowed me to throw you to the floor."

Fox sat up and looked at Krystal in awe. "That's very impressive that you're able to send others your thoughts; when did you learn that you could do that?"

Krystal looked away and spoke like there was nothing to her trick. "Well I've known for awhile actually. It was common on Cerinia to send others your thoughts. But it was more for adults as it's difficult to handle. I never really got the training for it so I've just been practicing every once in awhile on my own."

Fox stood and brushed himself off. "Well it seems like it's a very useful ability. How far would you say you could send your thoughts?"

Krystal thought for a moment and then shrugged. "I don't know I've never tried it any distance other than when making contact."

Fox was somewhat disappointed but didn't let it show. "Alright. Well later, that's supposing we make it through this, I'd like to learn to accept your thoughts. It seems like it could be fun."

Krystal was happy about Fox's interest in her abilities. "Ok, oh and you meant when we make it out of this. Positive thinking."

Fox smiled and saluted. "Ok Captain Krystal, I'll make sure to get right on that. Along with a nice nap before we get to venom."

As Fox was leaving the room Krystal shouted after him. "You'd better; I can tell if you're lying!"

Fox chuckled and continued on his way to his room. As he was walking back to his room Fox wondered what it was Krystal was thinking when she sent him her thoughts. While he pondered this he almost passed his room. Stopping abruptly at the door, he noticed it was cracked open and a light was on. When Fox walked in Falco was sitting on his bed.

Falco looked horrible, it wasn't even the bandages that covered him, it was the look on his face and the way he acted. Before Falco saw Fox enter he was just sitting there wringing his hands and staring off into space. When Falco noticed Fox he stopped rubbing his hands together and looked up at Fox almost pleadingly. "What do you think Katt thinks of me?"

Fox was surprised by how unexpectedly sudden the question was asked. "Uh well she obviously cares for you." Fox was wondering how to put his next assessment lightly. After finding no way out, Fox said it very bluntly. "But I think she also thinks you're an ass."

Falco rested his head in his hands and showed visual displeasure at this. "I don't know what I should do; no matter what I do I won't be able to make her happy. I might as well just forget about my feelings, it's worked fine for me so far."

Fox was surprised to see so much emotion coming from Falco and wanted to help him as much as possible. "Falco you and I both know that hasn't been working for you. It may help in battle but not when you're trying to talk to the woman you love."

At this Falco blushed deeply. "Alright I'll try to be nicer. But I'm still so pissed I'm not going to be able to do anything in this battle."

Fox looked around as if someone may be listening in on their conversation. "Don't tell Katt but I'm going to set you up as a sniper. That way you won't be under much stress, and you can still be part of the action."

Falco looked up happily at Fox. "Are you serious?! That's great! Thank you so much Fox." Falco stood up from the bed to leave and then turned back to Fox. "Oh and if you tell anyone about anything that was included in this conversation, I will kill you. K?" Falco smiled and Fox smiled back.

After Falco left Fox laid back in bed with the lights out. He couldn't sleep because of all the thoughts stampeding through his head. He wondered about the outcome of the battle to come. He couldn't stand to lose another team member; he was prepared to fight to the death to save any of them.

Fox heard a light creak from the door and he sat up and turned on the lamp on his side-table. Krystal walked in and smiled at Fox. "I would have come sooner but I needed to take a shower first." She laid down on the bed beside Fox and put an arm over his chest. "Can't sleep huh?"

Fox nodded. "I just can't stop thinking long enough for my brain to rest. I don't like not knowing the future."

Krystal stopped him by placing a hand on his face and tilting his head so they were face to face. "I know how to get you to stop thinking about your future." She then leaned forward and kissed him.

Krystal was correct; Fox immediately stopped thinking about the future. "Krystal, I love you."

Krystal grinned at him and played with his head-fur. "I love you too Fox."

Breaking the divine silence, came R.O.B's voice over the P.A. "We are now approximately ten minutes from Venom. All flight staff please report to the bridge."

Fox sighed and sat up. "I guess it's time."

Krystal pulled him back down gently. "They can wait just another minute."

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Slippy, Katt, and Falco sat on the bridge for the last two members of the team to join them. The atmosphere was once of tense concentration. They were all thinking of the battle ahead, and they knew how high the stakes were. Fox and Krystal walked out onto the bridge and assumed their positions. Before anyone was able to ask why they were late, R.O.B had something to say. "There is a large presence detected on Venom's surface. We have a visual, putting it up on the screen now."

The screen lit up with the image R.O.B spoke of. There was a large ship landed next to an old crumbling building. There were Sharpclaw surrounding the building and covering all entrances. Krystal gasped and pointed toward the ship on the screen. "That's the same ship I saw on the blueprints on Sauria!"

Fox cringed. "So they beat us here. Well then we've got a change of plans. Okay we'll land a good distance from there encampment and use stealth tactics to get inside to destroy the machine; I'd bet anything that's where it is. Let's try to get inside as silently as possible. Slippy and Katt take your ships and fly around the base. Take shots if you have them and make sure not to hit us. Krystal and I will infiltrate the base."

The team stood and walked in silence down to then hanger, even those who would be on foot would exit this way. When they got to the hanger Slippy and Katt got into their ships, while Fox and Krystal armed themselves. Krystal picked up two sub-machine guns and a silenced pistol, placing them in her holsters. Fox also picked up a silenced pistol but then he picked out a high power rifle, which he strapped to his back. Katt and Slippy were ready to leave before they had even landed. Right before the ships left Falco yelled up to Katt's ship. "Hey Katt! In case we don't make it out of this, I love you!"

Katt was so surprised that she absentmindedly pulled down on her thrusters and blasted out of the hanger. Realizing she was in flight she stabilized her ship and put it on course for the building. Looking back on the Greatfox she mouthed the words, I love you too. Slippy shot out after her and she tried to shove her thoughts to the back of her mind, the battle at hand demanded her full attention.

Falco watched Katt's ship going down to the planet until the hanger doors closed. Fox laughed behind him. "When I said to be nice I didn't mean like that."

Falco turned to him and shrugged. "Well you know, I don't want to go into battle with my mind unfocused. At least now I know that she knows"

Fox shrugged and handed him a sniper rifle. "Oh and just in case you better take this too." Fox said as he handed him a rocket launcher.

Falco held the rocket launcher over his shoulder and the sniper rifle pointed toward the ceiling. "I'm a one man army now."

The ship lurched and came to a stop, they landed on Venom. The hanger doors opened and they were able to see the desolate fields of Venom. Falco walked out of then hanger and stepped onto the planet. "I'll see you around then."

Falco started to walk up a hill to set up a sniping position when Fox called after him. "You better not get yourself killed; I'll be the one who has to explain it to Katt!"

Falco flashed a thumbs up and then disappeared up the hill. Fox turned to Krystal and put his arm around her waist. He pulled her into an unexpected kiss. When they finished Fox looked at her deeply. "This is it."

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A/N: Intense huh? Setting it up for the big battle! I can't wait to see what happens, can you? ;)

But seriously tell me what you think, how do you think It should end? C ya next chapter.